Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Frans is Sweden's youngest artists since the days of 16-year-old Carola back in 1983. The fact is he's still at school and guess what? He's back to school even between his Eurovision duties!  We can read from his schedule that he does arrive in Stockholm today, Sunday May 1st. Tomorrow Monday he's involved in Humorgalan and Tuesday he has his first day of interviews, his first rehearsals and the Meet & Greet with the media. But then he's off back to Ystad for two days for school.  He's back in Stockholm on Friday night to perform at Nordic Light night at Euroclub. The day after you can find him in the grand opening of the Good evening, Europe! exhibition at ABBA museum.  On Sunday he has his second rehearsals, press conference, the Red Carpet and Welcome Party followed by performance at the Euroclub's Welcome party. On Monday he's at Eurovision Village meeting fans at 14-15. And on it goes. He has also a role in the semifinals Green...

Sometimes ago ti was revealed Krista Siegfrids will be hosting #UMK2016 with Roope Salminen. The shows start on February 6, primetime Saturday evening. The very night the Swedish Melodifestivalen starts and yesterday it was revealed she will be competing there with her song Faller . That happens the second week, February 13. So, we know she's multitalented woman and can do many thing, even at the same time and overcome most everything but how can she on stage in Malmö in Sweden singing her song live and hosting the #UMK2016 live in Finland at the same time? Not even Krista can do that .... Her quick solution was the helicopter. I guess she'd need more like a space shuttle.  It seems poor Roope needs to host the second show alone and there's hope we will have a live link to Malmö and see how it goes there. Some fans are already speculating Roope would chat with Gina and who knows what else.... On the other hand some are already afraid #UMK2016 will turn into Melod...

Oops, things are not shaping up for Eurovision song contest 2016 in Sweden as most fans - and maybe organizers, too - were hoping for. Two major venues in Stockholm have said No, thanks after all, namely Tele2 Arena (apparently SVT's dream venue) and Friends Arena . The only option in Stockholm now remains Globen .... already host back in 2000 but Stockholm's chances are now getting slimmer and slimmer it seems.  Gothenburg , a previous host with Skandinavium is still in the running it seems and getting more determined to get it after Malmö has apparently said No as well. But then we have two newcomers: Saab Arena (ex-Cloetta) in Linköping and Göranssons Arena in Sandviken with the support of City of Gävle - both smaller but around 10.000.  SVT has sent these candidates its list od demands, which is of course mostly done by EBU, concerning all sort of obvious practical matters from number of hotel rooms to travel connections bu air, and the locations of press ce...

As soon as the Vienna 2015 edition of Eurovision song contest was over the new reigning country Sweden started the preparations for the 2016 contest. The venue, most likely Tele2 Arena in Stockholm (but then, SVT surprised us with Malmö on 2013) will be chosen and announced by August. But the namedropping has started for the possible presenters. Last time it was Petra Mede, who did a marvellous job even if some in Europe didn't apparently like her style. I loved it. At least I remember her, I can't say the same about the three ladies this year.... Errr... who were they? What did they do? All I remember is Conchita! Anyways, Petra Mede was dropped by Christer Björkman the day after, along with Sanna Nielsen and Gina Dirawi , both names from Melodifestivalen where they did a good job.  Another professional host, or the reigning Eurovision winner Måns Zelmerlöw has been put in the list immediately, too. And we can't forget Sarah Dawn Finer , that all of Eurovision Eur...

The pre-show with Gina Dirawi has just started here and her first guest is Loreen. She talks how her life has changed after winning Melodifestivalen and Eurovision 2012.... She is followed by the most wonderful "dracula queen", the most talked performance in town this past week, Cezar from Romania! He's honored to sit on the chair warmed up by Loreen! Then Charlotte Perrelli is asked why she's such a big gay icon. (Well, look at her! lol) Then crazy fans are interviewed and showed all around Malmö. Then the devil himself (that what many think, I definately don't!) Christer Björkman visits... It's all about flow, he says. All songs in the line up get to shine and France opens as it is an energetic, modern song by an artists that has attitude. He says the meaning is to make a very long show feel short. Makes sense. Stop blaming him and think about it a little, ok? Lys Assia was next interviewed by Mark Levengood who tells his grandfather was her fa...

Gina Dirawi was at it again with her pre-contest talk show.... Live here now. Mark Levengood, Swede's most famous Finn interviewed Krista Siegfrids in a doctor's room..... Sarah Dawn Finer aka Lynda Woodruff was there.... ByeAlex came by and sung his song acoustic with the Swedish bits added.... Edward af Sillén was there again :-) ... interval act Darin visited..... Margaret Berger passed by for a chat.... ... so did Ralph Siegel.... ... and Thomas G:son....

Linda Martin was visiting Gina Dirawi's pre-show on Tuesday and performed a rather brilliant version of Loreen's Euphoria . She should definately record it, we here in Blogilkar love it to bits! Linda has made a nice return to Malmö 2013 that she remembers quite differently from 1992: there's a mall now and sun shines! :-)

Ha ha! I was just remembering the other day the horrendous vodka bottle Dima Koldun's gave out in Helsinki 2007 when talking about the promo material. And here it was, in Gina Dirawi's pre-show on right now. Right here . Besides that bottle Christer Björkman, Emmelie De Forest, Robin Stjernberg, Linda Martin and Ryan Dolan made an appearance. Ryan's brought the 50 closest family members and friends along. Talk about an entourage! And Emil Ramsauer. "Extremely interesting!" he said with the wisdom of his 95 years. And then the oldest Eurovision fan, a lady at 103. Her first ESC was in 1960. "Schweden leiben mich! Ja ja. Then Edward af Sillén, Eurovision's George Clooney made an appearance live directly from  Malmö Arena. The songs with Swedish songwriters were also presented, and they are of course Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Finland, Norway and the Netherlands. Linda Martin performed a rather interesting gipsy version of Euphoria, and...

Great show in Sweden, I have to say. The interval act and opening numbers with Gina Dirawi, Danny Saucedo, Kristian Look and ever wonderful Lena Philipsson were great, and the songs were as always well staged. And I'm not surprised Michael Feiner & Caijsa were out and finished 6th as it was rather horrible on stage. Jay-Jay Johanson's last place was no surprise, and even if I liked Anna Järvinen's song this is maybe not the place for it so it's 7th place was not a surprise either. But I was hoping for a miracle that didn't materialize. And I predicted the finalists Yohio and David Lindgren right so in the end it was all good and as expected. I think YOHIO will give a good run for Army of Lovers in final :-) YOHIO - Heartbreak Hotel - > final David Lindgren - Skyline - > final Cookies and Beanz - Burning flags -> 2nd chance Eric Gadd - Vi kommer aldrid att förlora -> 2nd chance 5.  Mary N'diaye - Gosa  6.  Michael Feiner & Cais...

Freshly officially divorced Lena Philipsson and late runner in the Eurovision 2013 presenter run (as we know now the job went to Petra Mede instead) are the guest stars in Karlskrona. Both have previous experience as MF-hosts and Lena of course also as an artist and the winner. They will provide the interval act number together with the hosts Gina Dirawi and Danny Saucedo. Maybe it will include some acting as Danny has recently announced he will step away from music and concentrare on acting instead. (Good luck on that direction then!) A lot of humor and new sides of both Gina and Danny promised by SVT...

Or so it seems the yellow press in Sweden is trying to make it look like. Both have apologized the past few days trying convince there's nothing more to it but maybe thoughtlessness. What's the story? Gina Dirawi has a blog and she recommended for "bedtime reading" Lasse Wilhelmsson's book Är världen upp och ner? (Is world upside down?). The thing is he's a well known antisemitist. In her apology she explained the book was given to her in some happening a couple of year's ago and she thought it looked so boring she wouldn't read it at all. Well then, this blogger can only wonder why she'd post it in her blog then....?! But this is not the first for Gina. About a year ago she was heavily criticized for comparing Israel's government to Hitler... Danny boy on the other hand is found on a online video doing her training and when his trainer asks him to do harder and better he uses the word "svartingar", that maybe best translates ...

No surprise here. As expected and speculated Gina Dirawi returns after the success of 2012 edition. But unlike last year when no one knew her now everybody knows her. She will be packed by Danny Saucedo who this way has no fear he's become second in the competition again. Well, maybe to Gina, but that's another story... :-) Gina & Danny will be doing all the six shows.... The circus starts from Karlskrona on February 2, 2013 and moves on to Gothenburg, then Skellefteå and Malmö on February 23, 2013. Karlstad hosts the Andra chancen round and the grand final will be in Stockholm on March 9, 2013 in the brand new and huge Friends Arena. 

While we are at these Swedish rumors, it is given rather secure that Danny Saucedo will be back after his two years in a row as the runner up (and now also runner up in the OGAE Second chance contest ;-) ). But hold your horses, he's going to be one of the presenters! As they say, when a door closes a window opens! Apparently he was going to be present as a songwriter for someone else this time but as a presenter can't also have a song in the running he has withdrawn all his collaborations. Or so they say.  Let's wait and see. The names of the 2-3 presenters should be revealed by the end of October, says Christer Björkman. Another name circulating as sure is Gina Dirawi, but he says she could be also considered for Eurovision 2013 instead.... 

The duo Filip Hammar (37) and Fredrik Wiginsson (39) were voted the best male TV-hosts in Sweden in the annual Kristallen Gala (and picking up another two awards). The best TV-hostess award went to Gina Dirawi (21) and now the Eurovision 2013 producer Martin Österdahl has stated they would fit in nicely with the Eurovision 2013.... "Besides Dirawi knows what it would be like after hosting Melodifestivalen" he said "and I think the guys have what it takes, too" . Gina also commented afterwards "of course I would love to do it. Everyone wants to do it. I don't think anyone would say no to it!" Have we found the presenters?

The stage in Baku's Crystal Hall hasn't probably yet been completely taken down when in Sweden the guessing for the future Eurovision 2013 hosts are being discussed in a serious matter. At the moment there are two front runners, namely Måns Zelmerlöf and sarah Dawn Finer. Both singers with Melodifestivalen experience. Måns also has gone a long way from Cara mia to become Sweden's hottest male host in TV, and Sarah of course charmed the nation and not only as one of the hostesses for Melodifestivalen this year. And what to say about her alter ego Lynda Woodruff who gave out the Swedish votes in Baku? Could she take it over? But there are about two dozen other names in the talks from Gina Dirawi to Jovan Radomir, from Charlotte Perrelli to lena Philipsson, Carola, Mark Levengood and Petra Mede. Just to name a few.